My secret Melbourne: Rich Hall

Mary O'Brien

US comedian Rich Hall has been coming to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for more than 20 years. His character Otis Lee Crenshaw, a redneck jailbird from Tennessee, got his first outing on a Melbourne stage. The Paul Kelly fan hangs out at the Peter Cook Bar, has mixed feelings about Broadmeadows and holds a soft spot for the Melbourne Town Hall.

Rich Hall on high this week at the Melbourne Town Hall. Photo: Simon Schluter

The Town Hall, of course. It is the comedy ground zero of the festival. I've played a lot of different rooms there - none perfectly suited for performing - but that's the beauty of it: transforming some fusty civic room into a place with true atmosphere. I'll always love it. I understand they're tearing it down right after the festival to build a skateboard park. Shame.